Warmth
by MrNoskill
Summary: Yang and Weiss have just arrived in Mistral and are reminiscing with the others when Yang notices that things have changed. Within Jaune she can see the hurt he hides, only because she does the same. Will the two of them be able to come together and help each other heal the wounds that only the other can see?
1. Chapter 1

**Warmth**

* * *

Yang didn't think that she had laughed so hard in too long of a time. There hadn't been any reason for her to laugh for so long she was afraid she had forgotten how. A small part of her still screamed in the back of her mind that she shouldn't be laughing, that she should be angry or sad, but she tried to ignore it. There were things to be happy about now and even if she shouldn't, she would cling to them while she could.

She knew that they were fleeting.

Nothing good ever stayed; people, places, but she would try to hold on to them if she could, even if just in her memories. With that thought she looked down at her hands, one real and the other not. She clenched her right hand, the mechanics responding easily for her, but still not the same as before. Forever a reminder that the world could and would tear away the things you loved if you didn't hold onto them.

Yang leaned over to her left and caught Ruby's hand beneath the table, earning a small smile from her sister as they listened to Nora regale them with tales from their travels across Anima. This was something she would never let go of, the warmth she felt dispelling away the bad thoughts.

Her warm reminder.

Yang let her gaze slowly make it's away across the gathering of her friends and family huddled around the table, some engrossed in Nora's tall tales, others simply sat in peace, enjoying the familiar energy bounce around the room. She saw Ruby, so different from before, her stature a bit straighter, her eyes a bit sharper but still with so many parts that she still recognized. The soft laugh that came out, the small pull of her lips as she grinned, the light of hope still glistening in her eyes.

Truthfully Yang was scared at what she might have found when she and Weiss had arrived. Would her sister be ok? Would she still be the same loving, kind person she was, or would Yang have driven her away? She shook her head at the thought, this was Ruby, and she would never give up on her no matter what. Just holding her hand and feeling that warmth again was enough for her to know even if everything wasn't perfect, things were all right now.

She took in Weiss sitting beside Ruby, a picture of grace still but her edges had been softened a bit, her expression lighter. The ice queen had melted into a frost princess. At the end of the table was Nora as usual, full of energy as she bombastically gestured about as she told their tale, one filled with daring, adventure and pancakes if the girl was to be believed. Ren sat beside her, a bastion of serenity, only quietly interjecting to correct some of Nora's more outlandish remarks, but otherwise he seemed like always, exuding that aura of peace and tranquility they had come to know him for.

Finally, she came to Jaune sitting across her at the table and she was surprised at what she found there. Yang was sure she wasn't the only one who saw the changes. The boy she knew from Beacon was still there, underneath everything but she could see it in him, the same thing that she had in her.

Anger.

But it was more than that. This wasn't an anger that burned bright and flared hot, not the familiar kind that she enjoyed. This was an anger tempered by sadness, loss and desperation. She could see it in his eyes, hidden behind the mirth that shone across them now. Yang was too familiar with this. It was the look she could still see in the mirror at times when her own eyes were reflected.

Jaune's eyes came across to meet hers, the blue orbs seemed to pull just as much out of her lilac ones as she did his. She saw his smile tighten for a moment before he flashed her a toothy grin, as if trying to push away the bad thoughts. That she knew too much about as well. Yang felt a small squeeze on her hand from Ruby, pulling her back into the conversation.

Another warm reminder.

"How can six kids possible make so much noise eating dinner?" Qrow cut into the commotion and noise that was no doubt echoing across the house.

With a sigh he looked over the assembled teens.

"Clean up and then… we need to have a talk."

* * *

Yang lay down on her bed, feeling the soft sheets bunch around her as she stared at the ceiling. She pulled them closer over herself, trying to dispel the chill she felt. The talk with Qrow had been a strange mixture; relief, anger, confusion, astonishment, fear. The feelings bounced around both her head and her stomach and she couldn't decide what she wanted to feel most right now. A small part of her wanted to just curl up in a ball and give up again, to just step away from everything and go back home. She could never do that though, she would never leave Ruby to deal with this on her own.

The other part of her wanted to be angry, to let that feeling flow through her until she couldn't contain it anymore. To let the feelings explode out of her in a wonderful rush of violence and heat, the sweet feeling all too familiar to her. It wouldn't help anything, but it would make her feel better. Again, she wouldn't do that though, so she instead had hidden away here, allowing herself to wallow in her thoughts.

The new kid Oscar actually being fused with Ozpin's soul, the confirmation that magic was somehow real, the fact that the Grimm had some big bad leader that was bent on destroying humanity. Suffice to say that Yang had some things that she needed to absorb. She was just tired of it all, the secrecy, the lies, not knowing what was going on.

Yang simply tossed and turned on her bed, unable to get comfortable or banish the thoughts long enough to drift off. Even after covering herself with the sheets she felt cold, as if the thoughts were draining the heat from her. With a frustrated growl she sat up, deciding that she needed a breath of fresh air to help calm down. Grabbing her combat gear, she padded to the door and slowly made her way into the hall.

* * *

Softly closing the door behind her Yang traced her way quietly down the darkened hallways, not wanting any of the others to know that she was up and about. Only her soft steps broke the silence that covered the house, the others either asleep or relaxing quietly in their rooms. She quickly made her way down a few flights of stairs, one to the main area, and the other down towards the training area the house contained.

As she neared the dojo Yang started to recognize that it was not unoccupied, the vibrations coming through the stairs below her a telltale sign of activity in the room. A soft glow was coming from beneath the sliding door that lead inside, the trace amounts of light allowing her to easily make her way down the last few steps. Trying to be a silent as possible Yang lightly touched the door and started to slide it open just a crack to peek inside.

After a moment to allow her eyes to adjust Yang surveyed the room, taking in the soft mats lining the floors, the various training dummies and weapons edging the walls and the large sliding screens that lead to the outdoor arena that were pushed open. Standing just outside the room was a familiar blonde teen, sword and shield in hand.

Yang watched as he panted for a few moments before starting his training again, bringing the sword and shield up to a ready position. With a small cry he swung out, tracing the blade through the air so hard and fast that she could hear the air being displaced from where she stood. Jaune continued to strike out; once, twice, again and again. Each blow just as intense as the first, the familiar whooshing sound following each strike. Yang simply watched the knight go on, and after a few minutes and an unknown number of strikes he finally relented, panting heavily again.

She saw now that he was not wearing his usual armor and hoodie, instead he had just a white t-shirt that was now drenched with sweat, clinging to him tightly. Stood in out in the moonlight Yang could see that he seemed to glisten, the effects of his exertion leaving his skin flushed red, his muscles taunt. Seeing him now she could see how his physique had changed, the lanky teenager being transformed into a toned man. While Jaune would never be a hulk of a man she could still see the long steely bands that etched his arms, the way that his broad shoulders filled his shirt and the toned stomach hidden beneath.

For a moment she wondered what it would be like to be held in his arms, feeling those muscles against and around her. She shook her head to dispel the thought. Her and Jaune? She looked back at him as he stood, but for some reason that seemed to intensify the desire instead of mute it. She watched as a bead of sweat traced down his face and as it edged his lips Yang felt herself lick hers, as if she could clear it away.

Trying to once again banish those thoughts she stepped into the room and slid the door closed behind her before calling out softly to him.

"Hey, looking pretty good there, lady-killer! Not as good as yours truly, but I guess we can't expect perfection from everyone."

She saw as Jaune jumped lightly before turning to face her, eyes open in surprise. After a moment he collected himself and replied.

"Ah, well, I can always dream, can't I?"

Yang watched as a smile crossed his features, but she recognized it for what it really was. A mask. It was the same smile he had at dinner, the same one that she had put on her face before.

"Hmmm, having a dream is good. Perhaps a little spar will help you? After all you'd be learning from the best of the best." Yang kept her tone light and teasing, trying to judge his reaction. She swayed her hips as she stalked towards him, letting her regular hand press against his chest, feeling the moisture that had soaked in. Beneath her palm she could feel the frantic pumping of his heart as he tried to catch his breath.

Jaune simply looked down to her, confusion crossing his features as he studied her. After a moment he seemed to come to some sort of conclusion, nodding his head lightly once.

"Well, I'd never say no to a pretty girl, you know that Yang."

"Oh, I'm pretty am I?" Yang fluttered her lashes for a moment, "I never knew you could be so forward vomit-boy." Her eyebrow arced upwards as she tried to gently probe his thoughts.

While Yang and Jaune had never been best friends they were familiar with each other. It was bound to happen when Jaune and Ruby became friends, Yang had to make sure the people her little sister hung around with were good. And it turned out that he was good, almost unnaturally so. Jaune was kind and friendly at a fault, though a bit awkward and oblivious at times. He was someone she didn't need to worry about doing anything unbecoming to her or Ruby.

After a moment Jaune sighed quietly replied, "I'd rather regret the things I do, rather than the things I didn't. That's something I've learned."

Yang felt her eyes widen a bit at the answer, surprised at his honesty. She understood the feeling all too well. While she did have regrets about what happened she knew that if she hadn't acted to save Blake and something had happened to her she would've regretted it even more. For a moment she felt a slash of pain from her right arm. Without thinking her left hand came to cover her right arm, pressing against where the robotic arm met the stump of her real one.

She simply hummed to Jaune in response, unsure how to reply.

"Well that's enough talking for now then. Let's see what new things you can do. I could use the distr…" Yang trailed off before she could verbalize the thought. She looked at Jaune, but he said nothing, only shooting her a quick glance and then a nod before moving to stand opposite her. He hefted his sword, Crocea Mors, in his right hand, the shield held firmly in the other.

Yang simply slid the remaining gauntlet of Ember Celica onto her left hand, flicking the interior switch and feeling it expand on her arm, the device alive and ready for action. She lightly gripped her left wrist with her right hand, feeling a trembling traveling up her arm. She felt the coldness that had followed her from the room assail her again. A slow breath in and out steeled her nerves as she chided herself. It was just a spar, and one against Jaune for that matter, nothing to worry about.

With everything under control, she looked up to see Jaune standing a few feet away, his sweat still glistening in the moonlight as they stood in the cool night air. At some unknown signal they both readied themselves, Yang bringing her hands before her, Jaune steadying the weapons held in his hands. For a moment they simply studied each other, watching and waiting to begin.

Yang was surprised when it was Jaune that moved first, his heavy steps quickly bringing him into range and with a twirl of his blade the combat started. She quickly used her left hand to bat away the sword coming at her, as her mechanical arm slammed forward into his shield, stopping him from bashing into her. Even with that she felt her feet slide underneath her, the dirt below her shifting from the force of the blows.

With a cry she forced herself forwards, pushing both the shield and sword up and away, her left hand streaking towards the knights chest. At the last second Jaune twisted to her right, spinning on his left leg and bring Crocea Mors at the back of her head. She ducked it and lashed out with a kick, hitting one of his legs out from underneath, forcing him to catch himself with his knee. Quickly taking advantage Yang again drove her left hand towards his chest, hearing the other blonde grunt as she hit his ribs.

Yang felt her heart beat accelerate and her skin become flush as the chill from before seemed to float away, leaving her only with a small warmth in her chest. Looking down to meet Jaune's gaze she felt it grow once more as she saw the determination in his eyes. Almost simultaneously the two grinned at each other and Yang moved to continue as the heat surged throughout her.

Using his shoulders Yang flipped over him, landing a kick on the back of his shoulder and sending him sprawling behind her. She saw Jaune tuck into a roll as she turned, before he righted himself and stood, now panting lightly. After a small pause he charged her again, springing forward to try and pierce in from outside her range. Yang simply side-stepped the blow moving in closer but was stopped as his shield bashed towards her again, this time forcing her to block with both hands.

How strong was he now? Yang was confident in her physical strength and was surprised that Jaune had managed to meet her not once but twice now, and that was after he had been training. Could he actually be stronger than her now? The brief distraction caused her to miss when Jaune brought his sword up again, this time his grip reversed. She felt her aura react as his fist and hilt smashed into the side of her face, forcing a gasp from her.

She staggered backwards and Jaune dove in again, scoring two shallow hits against her normal arm and chest as she flailed wildly to drive him back. Cocking her left hand back she fired from Ember Celica, the dust rounds clattering against his shield as he defended. Yang ran in, bringing herself as low as she could go before slamming her right hand into the bottom of the shield, forcing his arm high and wide. Bringing her foot down to steady herself she let out a combo of blows into the center of his chest. Left, right, left, shotgun blast, spin, and finally her elbow of her mechanical arm slammed into him, blowing the air from his lungs and forcing him off his feet, his aura flaring as he fell.

Panting from the blows Jaune had landed on her and just general exhaustion she was taken aback as he stood again. He slowly picked himself off the ground, coughing violently as he tried to force air back into his lungs. Yang took one look at him and knew something was wrong. While before his face had been fierce and determined, now he only looked lost, his eyes slightly glazed over as he looked back at her.

Without warning and faster than she thought possible he was before her again, she didn't even have time to stand up straight before he grabbed her left arm and spun, throwing her over his shoulder. Yang coughed as her back was slammed into the ground, the air blasting from her lungs, and then again as Jaune slammed down onto her, his knee meeting her stomach. The sword in his hand moved down towards her, stopping to rest against her neck. For a moment she was scared as she tried to draw a breath but couldn't. She could feel the heat in her chest start to cool, the warmth slipping away from her. Black spots started to float before her eyes as she looked up at Jaune.

* * *

Jaune seemed to snap back into himself as he looked down at Yang underneath him. His knee was driven into her stomach, Crocea Mors held against the girl's throat. Surprised with himself he stumbled backwards off her, relieved when he heard the ragged breath she drew. He watched as the buxom blonde's chest heaved from where she lay. A disgust for himself surfaced quickly as he thought on what just happened.

Looking down into Yang's face to see the fear and anger in her eyes, all of it directed at him in that moment. How could he let something like this happen? He should better than this. Had to be better than this. There was a clattering of metal as he dropped his sword and shield and dropped to his knees, too distracted to care. A frustrated growl tore itself through his gritted teeth.

"Fuck."

The single word seemed to express all his feelings.

* * *

Yang slowly raised herself up off the ground to sit as she heard Jaune swear a few feet from her. Looking at him now she could see the mask had crumbled, his face a complicated mix of fear, sadness, anger and disgust. If she had to guess the last one was pointed at himself, based on what had just happened. She slowly stood up and walked towards him, the blonde knight kept him gaze firmly on the ground as she approached. She quickly scooped up his sword and shield, collapsing the latter before sliding the sword into it with a satisfying click. Finally, she moved to Jaune, unmoving except for the heaving of his chest and shoulders, and she simply picked him up, forcing him to stand.

No words passed between them as she gave him his weapon and grabbed his right hand in her left. The night air seemed to steam off the two of them, bringing with it a new chill as their sweat cooled. Yang quickly led them both back inside, a small part of her reveling in the warmth that she could feel from Jaune. His hand was rougher and larger than she expected, almost engulfing hers. Quickly closing the sliding doors leading outside Yang took his hand again, this time leading him up into the house.

The two blondes quietly padded their way up the stairs, and Yang hesitated only a moment before leading Jaune into her room. The boy looked up in surprise as he realized this and made to open his mouth to say something only to stop as Yang pressed a finger to his lips. She simply pointed to the bathroom attached before turning to snatch a towel and throw it to him.

"Take a shower and calm down for now, we don't want our delicate princess to catch a cold, do we? I'll grab your clothes so don't worry, just relax for a moment." Yang's soft whisper was light, but Jaune could hear the heavy plea hidden behind the words. He simply nodded and stocked over to the bathroom before lightly closing the door behind himself.

Letting out a sigh of relief Yang waited to hear as the shower started to run. When she confirmed that she quickly slipped out of the room and over to Jaune's. She immediately spotted his bag sitting in the corner of the room as she entered, moving to grab some clothes for him. Looking through the bag she found another white t-shirt, some pajama bottoms and a pair of black boxers which she gathered before heading back to her room.

"Jaune, I'm just coming in to leave your clothes here," Yang called to him as she slipped into the bathroom, setting the outfit on the counter. She tried and failed to not steal a glance over at the glass shower stall which was now fogged with steam from the warm water. Through the steam she could see the outline of his back and shoulders, anything below just an indistinct blur from the fogged glass.

Once again, she found herself surprised by the musculature that he had gained over the past few months. His shoulders cut an impressive image and the way the muscles on his back bunched and rolled as he stretched underneath the water certainly didn't look bad. She watched as beads of water slowly traced the contours of his back before dripping off. With a flush Yang realized what she was doing and quickly fumbled her way back into the bedroom.

Cheeks still red Yang let herself flop onto the bed, bringing up the covers to keep away the cold. Somehow the chill that had disappeared when she was sparring with Jaune had come back with a vengeance and she could feel herself shiver violently.

* * *

Jaune sighed to himself as he stood among the water that fell around him. The hot water steamed as it touched the cool glass that surrounded the shower. Despite the warm air and water, he still felt a chill, one that ran deep through him. The blonde teen simply stood there for a few more minutes, allowing his muscles to slacken, the tension being drawn from his shoulders and neck.

He quickly began to wash himself, focusing on working up a good lather before allowing the water to rinse each area of the soapy mixture. As much as he tried to distract himself every time he closed his eyes Jaune saw it again, that mixture of fear and sadness on Yang's face as he looked down at her. Every time he saw it the disgust flared within.

What was he even doing?

The situation was surreal. Here he was, washing himself in Yang's shower while the girl waited for him in the other room. Any other time he might have been happy or even excited with the prospect, but now it just seemed wrong. It wasn't that he was unhappy with her, or that he disliked her, just the opposite in fact. Yang was stunning, beautiful, exciting, powerful. All the things he wasn't. Though he supposed that wasn't completely true, they were alike in one way now.

They shared a sense of loss. A complicated mix of anger and sadness filled both of them. Jaune knew she saw it in him, saw behind the mask he had made, but only because she held the same one. In this way they might be the only two people who really saw each other.

Neither had wanted to bring it up though, even if they both knew it. Why were they the only two who seemed to be up, unable to stand the chill that permeated the rooms they had been in. They were both looking for a distraction, something warm and familiar, hoping they could take comfort in it.

But he had ruined it.

His hand slammed to the tile, threatening to crack beneath his fist. Letting out a shaky breath he quickly finished cleaning himself and turned off the water before stepping out of the shower. The water slowly traced down his skin, splashing silently on the floor of the bathroom. He simply grabbed the towel Yang had given him earlier and began the roughly dry himself, stepping into the clothes Yang had brought after he was done.

The shirt clung to him where he hadn't dried himself fully, but he didn't mind, instead taking the towel and roughly working it through his blonde locks. When that was done he reached forward and used his hand to wipe away the condensation that had gathered on the mirror. As he saw the reflection in the mirror his face twisted once again into a grimace, his blue eyes heavy with pain.

He tried to recreate the mask once more, forcing his face neutral, trying to hide the hurt he could see in his own eyes, but it didn't work. He couldn't lie to himself anymore, and it was pointless to try and lie to Yang. She had already seen through him.

For a moment he was stunned by the thought, pinned where he stood. A shiver ran through him and he felt his blood run cold.

"Stop being such a coward."

The words slipped unbidden from his lips, a soft whisper to himself. With that he finally unfroze, making his way over to the door and he pulled it open lightly. Taking a step back into the bedroom Jaune saw that Yang now laid on her back in the bed, covers drawn up around her closely. Her hair like fine golden thread was splayed out around her, her eyes closed and her chest rising and falling steadily.

Jaune could only marvel at her beauty as she laid there. The volume of silky smooth hair, the fair features of her face, the well figured body, the skin that looked like velvet. For a moment his breath was blown away and all he could due was let his eyes roam over her, taking everything in. As he did this though he started to notice the little things, the small signs that many of the others had probably missed.

Jaune saw the way her mouth was set, how her lips were pursed. The small bags underneath her eyes and the tightness that pulled on the skin around them, as if she were forcing them closed. The muscles in her neck and jaw were taunt, a sign of her clenched teeth. Yang was almost huddled into herself as well, cradling the mechanical limb she had almost unconsciously, as if she was afraid it would disappear if she didn't. He saw as she shivered lightly despite the warmth of the room. The cool cream of her skin seemed less vibrant. The usual glow that he had come to know from her was still there, only muted.

Unsure if she was asleep and not wanting to disturb Yang if she was, he didn't know what to do. The floor creaked below him as he shifted his weight and Yang's eyes shot open. The soft lilac color seemed to fill his vision as their gazes met, neither saying anything or moving. After a moment Yang slid upwards, sitting up in bed and lightly patting the space beside her.

The blonde knight hesitated for a moment before coming over and sitting on her right side, back towards her, facing the wall. It was strange for him, to be this close to Yang. He could feel the bed shake as she moved, the heat that rolled off her skin and he smelled the sweet floral scent that came from her. A part of him wanted to turn and hold her, to feel her skin and revel in the heat, to drive away the chill they both felt.

He couldn't do that though. She wouldn't want that and even if she did he didn't deserve it. Not after what had happened tonight. Without thinking he clenched his fists, knuckles turning white as he fought the urge down. He couldn't allow himself to give in to that comfort, no matter how much he might want to.

* * *

Yang watched as Jaune slowly stocked forward and sent himself lightly on the edge of the bed, facing away from her. She took in the tension of his muscles and how he clenched his fists, the knuckles turning white. A small bead of water caught her attention and she watched as it dripped from the edge of his hair, tracing the skin on the back of his neck before being absorbed into the white fabric of his shirt. Once more she had the urge to hold him, to feel his arms around her and let herself bask in the heat she could feel from him.

She simply sighed instead, trying to figure out what she could do for him. She wanted to comfort him, even if she had no idea how, even if she was struggling with the same things. She knew this type of pain. She reached forwards with her right hand, extending it to touch his arm, to give him some kind of reassurance, even if only physical. She stopped short though, looking at the mechanical limb stretched between them.

He wouldn't want her touch, not with her like this.

To her surprise however Jaune's hand came up and grasped the robotic hand with his and she gasped at the contact. When he touched her, it was like a lightning bolt struck and the usually dulled reaction she got from the artificial arm felt all too real. With just the simple contact she felt the chill within her fade, being replaced with a warmth that grew with each second.

"I'm sorry." The words he spoke were soft and uncertain.

"Don't be… I understand things like that all too well." Yang simply shook her head lightly and squeezed his hand. "We both know what it's like to lose things, to carry that with us. So, don't be sorry."

Jaune looked up into her face, his features burdened by the heavy emotions.

"I just never wanted to do something like that, hurt the people I care about. All of this sadness, all of this anger it just twists around inside of me and I can't do anything about it. It makes me just want to give up sometimes. To just crawl into bed and stay there." Air whistled between his teeth before he started again. "I can't do that though, could never do that. Someone has to do _something_ , I refuse to let them get away with what they did. Not after everything they took from us."

Yang saw as tears began to rim his eyes and without thinking she drew him close, resting his head on her shoulder. Her real hand came up and ran through his hair, trying to soothe him. She brought her mouth close to his ear, so that she could whisper to him.

"Jaune, you don't need to hold onto everything yourself. You don't want to do that, to let yourself be drowned in those feelings. We're all here for you… I'm here for you. You're allowed to hurt."

When she spoke Yang realized that the words were just as much for herself as they were for him.

As if that was a signal Jaune stiffened for a moment, before wrapping his arms tightly around her. They felt like just how she imagined, warm and reassuring as the steely muscles pulled her closer. She felt as Jaune began to sob lightly into her, breath coming in gasps as he tried to control himself. Tears of her own started to build behind her eyes, and she simply pressed her face into his neck allowing herself the comfort of his skin.

Yang didn't know how long they stayed like that, only that she didn't want to separate, to lose this warmth that she held. Slowly, they separated, still held in each other's arms, but now they looked at each other, face to face. Both pairs of eyes were rimmed red from the tears and seeing that they both suppressed a giggle. After a moment it was too much and they both broke into a soft, comfortable laughter. Finally, when that was done they simply sat together in silence, content in their embrace.

Despite the heavy emotions between them Yang felt lighter than she had in a long time. The ability to let go, to not hide how she felt and knowing that Jaune could do the same warmed her. In this moment she felt happy, happier than she had in a long time.

She looked at Jaune, studying the hard lines of his neck, his jaw, the way his nose sat and how above that his azure eyes seemed lighter. There was now a grin on his face, this one genuine, not the toothy mask he had earlier. There was still pain there, but it was subdued, and he looked like he felt like she did; happy.

Yang's left arm came back, the right still wrapped around him, and she gently touched his forehead. Jaune looked confused for a moment but didn't stop her, allowing her to do what she wanted. She slowly let her fingers trace the side of his face, moving down she could feel the slight stubble on his chin, the soft skin on his neck, before stopping with her palm flat over his heart.

She could feel the hard muscle hidden beneath the shirt and skin, and below even that the steady beating of his heart. The gentle thrumming was relaxing, and it grounded her in the here and now. Yang looked back up to Jaune's face and the knight simply smiled at her. In that moment she knew exactly what she wanted.

She wanted to share this feeling with him, this warmth.

Without hesitation Yang slowly brought her face close to his, meeting Jaune's gaze to judge his reaction. Soon she was close enough the feel his breath against her lips and then his lips against hers. Both felt their eyes drift shut as they kissed, lightly pushing into each other. Jaune's lips were soft and warm against hers as they slowly melted together, drawing even closer to each other. He tasted sweet, like a strange mix of honey and lemon and she couldn't get enough of it. His taste and smell seemed to fill her, driving the warmth she felt into an inferno.

This wasn't a fire of pain and destruction that was inside her, instead what built was a warm glow of content and safety. Far too soon for her liking they had to separate, gasped for breath as they broke apart. Yang looked up at him through lidded eyes to find he was looking at her through the same.

Moving her arms to wrap around his neck she leaned back onto the bed, leading Jaune to posture above her, elbows braced on either side her head. He lightly lifted one hand and traced it down the side of her face as she did earlier, but this time his hand brushed her lips, blazing a warm trail across them. Without any words he leaned down and Yang upwards to meet again.

This time the kiss was deeper, more fevered than before as they roughly battled each other. Yang gasped as she felt his tongue brush against her lips, easily allowing him entry. Her head span as her tongue met his, sending waves of pleasure through her as she moaned into him. She felt as he groaned back, reveling in the thought that he was enjoying himself like she was.

Once again, they broke away panting as they caught their breath, but neither was still as they waited. Yang let her hands run down his back, enjoying the feel of his musculature before diving underneath his shirt to feel his skin directly. Jaune was wonderfully warm and despite the fires that raged inside her she wanted even more. Her hands traced his toned stomach, feeling the light outlines of the muscles there before she moved upwards, lifting his shirt as she went. Jaune grabbed the edge and quickly tore it over his head as her fingers traced his chest, feeling his heart beat once again. It was noticeably faster now.

As the shirt was flung to the floor Yang pushed Jaune to the side and then below her so that she now sat straddling him. She saw as he looked up at her, his face warm and bright and his eyes tinged with lust for her. A tingle of warmth raced from her chest to her stomach and Yang felt as her toes curled lightly from the feeling. She lightly pressed down upon him, smiling as she heard him bite back a groan of pleasure.

No words were past between them, but they both knew what they wanted as she leaned down to embrace her knight once again.

* * *

Yang felt herself mumble something lightly as she slowly came back to consciousness, feeling content where she laid in bed. She stretched out, groaning as she felt the joints in her left arm pop and crack lightly. Her hands rested back down to the warm skin that she lay upon, before she opened her eyes and looked down upon the body beside her.

An expanse of naked skin was before her and she slowly lifted herself upwards to look into Jaune's face as he slept. The blonde knight lay below her, the gentle rise and fall of his chest regular as he slumbered. With a quick glance to the window she could make out the faint traces of dawn setting in. Yang slowly lowered herself back onto his chest, feeling the familiar beat of his heart as she rested her head against it.

Yang felt as her eyes slowly drifted shut once more, sighing as she snuggled into the heat coming from below. As she drifted off she knew that when she awoke again he would still be here. This was something no one would take from her.

Her warm reminder.

A smile slowly crossed her lips as she once more drifted into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

 **Hello and thanks for taking the time to read my first fic. As far as crack ships go Dragon Slayer or Jaune X Yang might have to be my favorite, hence the story being about them. If you couldn't tell this was set right after Yang and Weiss arrive at Mistral and meet with the others.**

 **This is my first attempt with any type of romance, so I hope it wasn't too bad and please let me know what you thought in a review.**

 **Good? Bad? Indifferent?**

 **Finally, I might write more with this but for now it will stay as a one-shot, but who knows I might be inspired and pull something out my ass for a second chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

Jaune groaned as the light seemed to pierce through his eyelids, rousing him from the comfortable slumber he was in. He was still too tired to get up he decided and tried to turn onto his side to discover he couldn't. There was something warm and soft draped over him, preventing him from shifting very much at all. With a sigh he cracked his eyes open, wincing lightly as the light coming from the nearby window assaulted him.

Looking down he figured out what, or more accurately, who was with him. Laying against his chest was one Yang Xiao-Long, as evidenced by the golden locks that were flowing from the top of her head. His left arm was wrapped around her stomach and he could feel her warm, velvety-smooth skin beneath his fingers. Looking down into her face Jaune saw Yang's lips were turned upwards in a grin as she slowly hummed and nuzzled her face into his chest.

He should have been surprised at the scene before him, but quickly the memories of what had happened came to the fore of his mind. A small flush but large grin came across his face as he thought back on what they did. It seemed so simple and easy, as if they were two parts that were becoming whole.

It was a good night.

A very good night.

For now, Jaune laid still in bed, only allowing his fingers to trace whisper-soft across the skin of Yang's back. Once more he marveled at how soft her skin was, the warmth and electricity that filled him as his hands touched her. He could feel the hard muscle of her back beneath her skin, well hidden behind the soft curves that made her. After a few minutes of this Yang stirred lightly against him, mumbling something incoherent into his skin.

Sleepily she slowly lifted her head, turning back and forth to look around the room before looking upwards to meet his gaze. As she did Jaune saw as a bright smile crossed her face, his own mirroring hers a second later. Eyes heavy with sleep she studied him for a moment before she leaned up towards him.

Jaune didn't need another invitation as he leaned down, and they kissed lightly. This one was almost chaste compared to the ones the pair had shared last night, but still just as warm and fulfilling. As they melted into each other once again Jaune felt as Yang's taste and smell consumed his thoughts. She tasted like a wonderful mix of spices and her floral scent threatened to make his head swim as he took it in.

The blondes slowly separated and Jaune was remiss to be away from the blazing heat that were her lips. He licked his lightly without thinking, savoring the feeling. Yang giggled lightly at the action, but he could see the pleasure in her eyes. Jaune wrapped his arms around her once again, pulling her up so that she laid across his chest, faces close enough to feel each other's breath.

For a moment they simply gazed at each other, blue and lilac plumbing the depths of each other's eyes. Jaune lightly cleared his throat before he began.

"So…."

"Yeah…."

It seemed neither knew exactly what to say but after a moment Yang continued.

"I just want you to know that I don't regret last night. It wasn't what I expected to happen but…" She broke off for a moment, looking away before looking back at him, her face determined, "I enjoyed myself, _more_ than enjoyed myself in fact. I don't know how I feel exactly, but _this_ , whatever it is, feels right to me."

Jaune felt as her arms gripped him tightly. She was trembling. He could feel as the vibrations moved through him and he wanted to do nothing more but stop them for her. Flexing his arms, he drew the blonde girl in even tighter, almost crushing her into his chest.

"I want this too. I want what we had last night, I want to see you smile, to feel you in my arms like this. Being with you seems to make me better than I am. I'm too weak to leave this now, but even if I could, I wouldn't."

There was a small sense of guilt as he said the words. A small flash of red hair ran across his mind. The knight drove the doubt away, confident in his words and in how he felt for Yang. Pyrrah would want him to be happy, not to wallow in her memory like he had been. This would be his first step forward.

"Also, I really enjoyed myself too."

They both chuckled lightly against each other before again bringing their faces close to kiss. Their lips were rough and warm against each other as they joined in an already familiar way. For now, they simply enjoyed each other, content in the moment.

It seemed perfect.

Suddenly the door slammed open as a silver eyed girl stepped into the room.

"Yang, you need to get up so that we can eat before train...ing…"

Ruby slowly trailed off as she took in the scene. Yang, her sister, was lying naked against Jaune, her best friend, as they kissed together in bed. The sheets were ruffled, and their crumpled clothes littered the floor. She brought her fists up to rub her eyes, as if she could scrub them and the scene would change. When things didn't she simply squeaked in panic, her entire face flashing red as she slammed the door behind her on the way out.

* * *

Yang watched as her little sister fled from the room, sighing as she watched it happen. So much for her perfect moment. She glanced back up at Jaune, his eyes wide with surprise and panic as he looked back down to her. Without meaning to she let out a small snort.

"Well I guess the cat's out of the bag now, and Blake's not even here." She grinned as he groaned at her beautiful pun. Some people just didn't get good humor it seemed.

"Is that ok? Shouldn't we do something to, you know, stop her or something?"

She shook her head, feeling her hair shift around her and brush against his chest as she did.

"I wasn't intending to hide this from them, were you?" Jaune shook his head no and she continued, "So even if the others know, that's fine with me. I'm not one for tip-toeing around and being sneaky anyways. Whenever I want something I head for it in a straight line."

Her cocky grin was met with the smile that spread across the knight's face. She saw as he flushed, obviously remembering how straight forward she had been last night. Once more she laughed, the warm and comforting feeling from last night still spread within her chest. This morning she was too happy to let anything silly spoil her mood.

"Well I don't know about you, but I happen to be hungry after all that exercise we got yesterday. But before that I need a shower."

Yang lifted up off of Jaune, letting the covers fall around her and revealing herself once more to him. Standing from the bed she sighed and groaned exaggeratedly as she stretched. She saw as his blue eyes stuck to her as she moved, a small thrill running through her as he looked. Sensually she made her way over to the open door to the bathroom, purposefully swaying her hips as she walked. Stopping in the doorway she looked over her shoulder at him, pleased to see the lust that had filled the blonde knight once more.

"I could always use some company." With a wink she stepped into the room, laughing as she heard Jaune jump from the bed to follow her.

* * *

Yang was pretty sure that it normally didn't take her so long to shower, even with the time it took to tend to her golden locks. She was also sure that most people ended up cleaner after taking a shower, and that hadn't happened either. With a content sigh the blonde sat herself before the mirror, brush in hand as she prepared to tackle the strangled mess that her hair had become. Soon after she began Jaune's reflection appeared in the mirror behind her, and his warm hands set on her shoulders.

"Want a hand?"

Normally Yang would have said no, her hair was something she was proud of and she was reluctant for anyone else to mess with it. After a moment to consider she passed the brush back to him. She trusted Jaune. She felt as he went to work on her, hands surprisingly delicate as he worked the brush and his fingers through the golden mess. Yang hummed in appreciation as he worked, glad she could let herself relax in a new way, and before long he was done.

Finishing by giving her head a quick shake and running her fingers through it lightly, making sure everything was set correctly, she turned and gave her blonde counterpart a quick peck on the lips.

"You're quite good at this lady-killer, where did you pick up skills like those?"

Jaune scratched the back of his head, "Ah, well when you grow up with seven sisters you just kind of pick it up. A few of them really liked it when I brushed their hair for them."

Yang hummed lightly in response, coming in and gripping his left hand in her right, enjoying how the artificial limb sent shocks of electricity into her as they touched. She lightly pulled him towards the door, mentally preparing herself for what they would find when they appeared below.

"Well, time for the two of us to get some breakfast then, and for me to speak to my sister to remind her to knock before she barges into anymore rooms."

With a smile the two made their way downstairs and towards the dining area, still hand in hand. When they arrived it was to find everyone, bar Qrow, present at the table, working their way through breakfast together. The reactions they received were varied and largely expected by the two of them.

The most obvious being Ruby, who after taking a single look at them had flushed red again and quickly looked at the food on her plate. Next was Weiss who sat beside the crimson girl, her eyes wide in shock as her mouth hung open, the fork she was holding clattered against the plate below as she dropped it. Ren simply looked as he always did, which disappointed her a little bit, she had hoped to pull some sort of reaction from the taciturn boy.

Beside him was the bombastic ginger girl that seemed to be almost vibrating as she looked at the pair. Nora's mouth was set in a wide grin as she quickly looked between the blondes and the others at the table. Yang saw her eyes narrow as the teal orbs bounced between them and Ruby whose neck was still a bright red. She had realized that Ruby knew something about the two.

Finally, she looked over to the not so familiar face sat on the other end of the table, Oscar. The boy just looked confused as he looked around the room, trying to gage the reactions of the others. When he met her eye she simply winked at him, which appeared to confuse the boy even more.

Before anyone could say anything, Yang sat down at the table, dragging Jaune down with her, holding him close as she did so. Taking a plate from the table she quickly started to make plates for herself and the knight, a mix of eggs, bacon and pancakes between them. As she finished she simply placed it in front of him and using her right arm turned his face towards hers.

Jaune didn't resist as she did any of this, only waited patiently as she busied herself doing what she did. Yang could see a faint flush on his face, the embarrassment hidden just below the surface. With a chuckle she moved forward and kissed him. At first his lips were ridged in surprise but after a moment he pushed back, enjoying the sensation without a thought for the others. Yang suppressed a few chuckles as she heard another squeak from Ruby, the choking cough that came from Weiss, the reluctant sigh from Ren and the guffaw that sounded from Nora.

Finally they broke apart, both blondes with lips that glistened from the other.

"Now eat up Jaune, we need to make up for all of those calories we burned off together last night." Without another word the two of them started to eat with gusto. As much as Yang was posturing for the others it was a fact that the two of them were famished after last night and this morning. A quiet minute passed as the others watched them eat until the silence was broken by Weiss.

"I-, Wha-, Just what is happening right now? Can any of you explain!?"

Yang finished chewing and used the knife she held to point over towards her sister at the end of the table.

"Well, Rubes should know what's going on, considering she got quite an eyeful this morning." She waggled her eyebrows as the others all turned from her to look at the younger girl.

"N-No I didn't! What are you saying Yang! I… I didn't see anything." Ruby stuttered from the sudden attention, her voice growing weak by the end.

"Oooooh, you have to share with the rest of the class. Hmmm, now let us know, what sordid details are you hiding?" Nora bounced over to the younger girl, grabbing Weiss – who let out a small complaint- to interrogate the information from her. Yang quickly finished her breakfast before moving to slide down towards the other girls, know that eventually Nora would come to drag her in.

She looked back at Jaune as she went, giving him a shrug in apology. He shook his head lightly, but the smile on his face told the real story. Sensing his reluctant approval, she turned to the other girls, ready to dish the story she knew they wanted.

* * *

The blonde knight watched as Yang joined her sister and the other girls, who pulled her into their abrupt huddle, all too eager to tease the details from the girl. Truthfully Jaune wasn't too keen on everyone knowing everything about what had happened last night, and then again this morning, but the could deal with it. Seeing Yang smile at him was enough.

It was scary to know how much control she already had over him. The thought of ever hurting her again stabbed painfully in his chest, so much so that he couldn't deny her the simple things like this. A little embarrassment for him was a small price to pay.

Trying to ignore the hushed voices and tittering he heard from the girls he turned to look at Ren and Oscar. Both were staring at him as if waiting for Jaune to make some sort of statement.

"So…uh…me and Yang are a thing…I guess."

Ren simply nodded, taking the information in stride, while Oscar just looked between the girls and him before speaking.

"Don't you think you should, like, stop her?"

Jaune just chuckled, "Ah, maybe? I don't quite know myself but…" He trailed off for a moment, letting his eyes roam over his girlfriend, lover, whatever it was they were. The smile that floated to his lips seemed enough for the younger boy, who nodded at his non-answer.

Seeing that the others were done with breakfast Jaune began to grab the dishes spread along the table so he could start to clear them. Before that though he quickly put together another plate of food that Yang could have after she was done regaling the others with their misdeeds. Ren and Oscar joined him as he cleared the table and the three of them started to clean all the dirty dishes.

As he worked Jaune saw as the girls talked out of the corner of his eye, vaguely trying to get an idea of what was happening. As Yang talked quietly to the group he saw as the flush on Ruby creep up her neck before she simply pulled her hood up and cinched it tight around her head. Weiss stood slightly away from the others, but he saw as she kept slowly turning inwards towards Yang before catching herself and adjusting back away again. He glanced away as her eyes roamed over to him, looking him up and down, her cheeks tinted pink.

Nora meanwhile looked beside herself with happiness, gasping loudly at various points as Yang spoke. For a moment he looked back at the group only to find Nora looking towards him in a very specific spot that made him want to drop what he was doing and cover himself. Jaune just tried to ignore her as washed the dishes.

A few minute later the girl's conference broke apart, all of the girls other than Yang had a blush on their cheeks as they looked over to him. Jaune kept his face as neutral as possible, trying to dismiss the embarrassment he felt and ignore their pointed stares. He saw as Yang moved back and started to finish off the plate of food he had left for her, a smile on her face as she ate.

Rising from the table after she was done the buxom blonde strolled over to him, moving to stand directly behind him at the sink. She wrapped her arms around his waist, dropping the plate into the soapy water that filled the sink, and pulled herself tightly to his back, her chin resting on his right shoulder. The voluminous softness that pressed against his back had him suppress a shudder, his breath coming out in a hot pant. He felt more than heard Yang chuckle at that.

She stayed like that as he worked to finish washing the last few dishes left over from their meal. As he started to scrub a pan he shifted his head and caught her eye, whispering lightly to her.

"So, did you regale them will tales of your conquest? It seemed like Ruby might pass out from everything she heard."

"Well I didn't get into the nitty-gritty, but I did give them a nice… _overview_ of a couple things. As for Ruby, if she was really not interested she would have sped away, so it appears her curiosity got the better of her." A grin spread across the blonde's lips. "We should finish up here and then head down and join the others to train. It seems like Oscar, or well I guess it would really be Ozpin, is going over some hand to hand techniques for Ruby today."

Jaune nodded as he moved to finish the last set of forks and knives, scrubbing them quickly before giving a quick rise and setting them aside to dry. Pulling the plug, he watched as the bits of food and soapy water drained from the sink, drying his hands on a nearby towel. Yang gave him a quick squeeze to gain his attention and he turned in her arms to bring her into his, holding her close to his chest.

"Are you up for another spar?" Jaune asked her.

"Hmmm, sounds good to me. Maybe this time we should do it a bit lighter though, I wasn't a huge fan of how the last fight ended." Jaune winced as Yang mentioned it, looking away from her, a heavy expression on his face. She firmly grabbed his chin and forced his gaze back to hers. "I told you last night, don't worry about it. I don't blame you for anything and besides you didn't even hurt me."

The blonde knight's expression lightened with her words and he gave her a quick nod to acknowledge that he understood. Yang leaned in towards his ear to whisper the next words to him.

"Though if you can beat me again, I might be able to do something… _special_ for you later."

Jaune shuddered from the words and warm breath that tickled his skin. Turning in his grasp Yang grabbed his hand and started to lead them down to the dojo and the others.

* * *

The rest of the day was spent training with the others, watching as Ozpin, through Oscar, taught Ruby the basics of hand to hand combat. Yang couldn't help but grumble as she saw that, mentioning that Ruby was never as interested in it when she had tried to teach her before. As they watched, the others held some light spars, went through their forms and meditated throughout the day. Jaune and Yang also had a spar just before lunch, one in which it was surprisingly even.

While Yang was faster and had more refined technique, Jaune it turned out was stronger, if she wasn't using her Semblance, and his larger than normal amounts of Aura allowed him to tank a lot of hits. Hits that would have normally put many others down. In the end though Yang proved the victor, taking the blonde knight down with a series of strikes too fast for him to defend from.

As she bent down and pulled him up Jaune leaned in close enough to whisper so the others couldn't hear.

"Looks like I owe you some _special_ attention tonight."

He saw as the girl tried to fight down the blush that rose on her cheeks, the intimate whisper catching her off guard. Jaune just laughed as she punched him lightly in the arm and then stormed away. It was obvious that she wasn't actually mad, just annoyed that he had managed to catch her off guard.

Day faded to evening and Jaune found himself alone outside the dojo, slowly going through his forms. With deliberate movements he moved Crocea Mors through the air around him, spending a minute or more going in between each pose, feeling how his muscles shifted as he moved. What he needed now more than anything was to build his muscle memory, to lessen the delay between thought and action.

"Putting on quite the show there blondie. It looks like at least one of you brats is taking the training seriously."

The knight slowly let out a breath as he let his weapon fall, looking towards Qrow as he walked over to him. The raven-haired Huntsman stopped a few feet away and before Jaune could reply he watched as the man pulled a flask out and took a swig. Qrow hissed as he pulled the drink from his lips and secured the top, sliding it into some pocket in the breast of his coat.

The two stood in silence, Jaune studying the older man while Qrow looked out to the view before them, watching as various lights started to dot the city. Seeing him now Jaune could only think that the man looked tired. If he had to guess the search for other Huntsman and Huntresses wasn't going to plan, seeing as none had returned with him. It boded ill. For now though, the blonde had a feeling that he came to talk about a certain niece.

"So, I heard you had quite the night last night. Actually, I heard more than that from your orange haired friend but as I'm desperately trying to suppress that memory, I won't bring it up." Qrow shook his head as he grimaced, as if doing so would dispel whatever information he had learned.

Jaune tensed as the man finally turned to look at him, the crimson orbs pinning him where he stood. If he was honest with himself Jaune would say that he never really liked the man before him. He seemed abrasive, sloppy, and blunter than what was needed. Not to mention a drunk. A small part of him was also angry at him for the things that had happened to Pyrrah.

If Ozpin, Qrow and their group hadn't decided that his partner should become the Fall Maiden, it felt likely to him that she would still be alive. The reason that Pyrrah went and faced Cinder was because she felt like she had to, since she was chosen as next in line for the position. He felt as the anger flared within and his hands clenched in response, the muscles reacting without thinking.

Drawing a large breath, the blonde let it slowly whistle out between his lips, letting the anger drain from him. Thinking of the words Yang had told him last night, that he had to stop holding onto these dark emotions helped him. He knew that it wasn't Qrow's fault for what had happened, that he man didn't deserve any blame. Jaune simply wanted a way to push away his pain, and the man was an easy target for him to latch onto.

Qrow didn't say a word as he watched Jaune and just let them slip once more into a fragile silence as he waited for a response. Once again, his hand dove beneath his coat, pulling a drink from it. After leveling himself the blonde knight finally gave the man a reply.

"Ah… I don't know what you heard but, yeah, it's true. Yang and I shared last night together."

Jaune watched the man, trying to gage his reaction. Qrow slowly screwed the cap of the flask tight before letting out a loud sigh.

"Look, kid, I'm not here to tell you that you and Yang can't be together or that what you did was wrong. While you guys aren't adults you're not children either. You can make your own decisions. What I will say though is that you need to be careful. Yang might seem tough, but the girl needs someone who can take care of her." He continued as he saw Jaune nod in response. "I won't get into why, that's not my story to tell, but just know that if you ever hurt her or try to leave-"

The man was suddenly gone from before Jaune and the next set of words came from right behind him.

"- you won't make it very far."

Jaune stumbled as a hand slapped him roughly in the back. He turned to see Qrow walking back towards the house, his hand raised up as he sent a small wave. Unbidden he felt as a small chuckle spill from his lips, a mixture of fear and amazement filling him as he watched the man leave.

* * *

The next two weeks followed roughly the same pattern of the first day's. The days spent training together, the nights shared between the two of them, some like the first, others where they just fell asleep together, comforted by the knowledge that the other would be there when they woke. Things weren't perfect, but it worked.

Occasionally either Jaune or Yang would slip away again, needing the other to come and hold their hand, give them a hug and a kiss. The warm reminders that things would be ok. Ruby and the others would usually leave them alone at these times, content to let them share their quiet moments together. Though Ruby could sometimes hear the not so quiet moments together when she walked through the halls at night. Once she had heard Yang moan as she passed by her room. _Moan._

She shuddered at the thought. Gross.

Overall, she was happy for the two of the blondes. Ruby had been distressed at the fact that she couldn't help Jaune with what he was going through. Even if it was no excuse she had been too busy with herself and focusing on making their way across Anima and had let it fall to the wayside. Somehow Yang had come and immediately saw through him, managing to pull the pieces together. Just as Jaune had done for her as well.

Ruby had noticed that things were off with Yang from the moment she arrived. Of course she did, Yang was her sister. The small glances, the way she held her hand the first night, that flat look on her face and in her eyes. Things had worked out in the end, but she still needed to do better. She would do better.

She would never stop moving forward.

* * *

It was another evening when Jaune found himself outside the dojo, looking over into the city as the light started to spread across the streets below. This time however he was not alone, Yang sat between his legs, head resting against his chest as they lounged against the wall. Feeling her warmth was welcome to fight back the chill that was building as the sun set.

Yang had been distracted almost all day, slipping off, her face scrunched in concentration as she thought on something. Jaune hadn't asked what it was, he just stayed near her as she thought, letting her know that he was there if she needed him. After a few minutes of comfortable silence he felt the blonde shift in his arms, straightening herself, growing more tense.

"Jaune…" He simply hummed to let her know he was listening. "Did you know that Ruby and I have different mothers?"

The knight shook his head at the question, though looking back on it, it did make sense. Ruby and Yang were hardly similar physically, to the point where he was surprised that they were sisters when he first learned it.

"Ruby's mom, and the woman who I consider to be my real mom, was Summer Rose. A Huntress who was slayer of Grimm, kisser of boo-boos and baker of cookies." She stopped to let out a small chuckle. "While she wasn't home all the time due to her missions when she was there she was super mom. But then one time she left and never came back."

Yang's voice went from light to heavy in an instant. Jaune could only pull her closer, trying to stymie the pain that the memories brought up for her. He heard her voice thicken as she continued.

"My biological mother is Qrow's sister, Raven Brawnwen. I never knew her when I was growing up, other than the few pictures that my dad had of her. She left me and my dad pretty much right after I was born. I was a newborn baby, but she just didn't care, and left without a word." Anger tinged with pain filled her voice as she spoke about the woman.

"My whole life I've always wondered why she left. Did she not want me? Was I not good enough for her?" The blonde shook her head and laughed derisively, "And then I finally met her, just before Weiss and I came here. So, what happens when I talk to her? There's nothing. No explanation, no apologies. It's like she forgot, or more likely that it didn't even matter to her!"

The anger that filled Yang's voice gave away to pain, and she whispered the next words.

"That _I_ didn't matter to her."

Jaune didn't know what to say, how to soothe the pain he heard coming from her. This wasn't something a few nice words would fix. It was a wound that was part of her, that would probably always be part of her. For now, all the knight could do was hold her even tighter in his arms, as if he could fuse the wound closed by doing so.

Soon a light moisture started to build against his sleeves as Yang dropped her head to rest her eyes there. Without thinking he began to hum lightly to her, as if by doing so he could distract her. Long minutes passed as he let her shed her tears, knowing that she needed to let them out. Slowly he heard as she stopped, pulling her face away from where it had rested and wiping her hands across her face to dismiss the lingering moisture.

"I want to show you something," Jaune softly spoke to her as he shifted, pulling his scroll from the pocket of his jeans. Unlocking it he scrolled to the videos that he had stored on the device and finding the one he wanted he clicked play and moved it in front so that Yang could see the screen. As the video started an image of Pyrrah standing before Beacon tower appeared. A small gasp came from Yang.

They both watched as in the video Pyrrha started to go through a series of forms and strikes that Jaune could use to train, the same ones he had been practicing the first night Yang and Weiss had arrived. As the video moved towards the end Jaune had to close his eyes, unable to bear seeing her as she said the last words.

"… _I'm just happy to be a part of your life. I'll always be here for you Jaune."_

The screen turned black as the video ended but neither Yang nor Jaune said anything, only letting the impact of her words wash over them. For Jaune it shouldn't have been as hard, as surprising to hear, but it never got easier for him. Yang now sat stiffly in his arms.

* * *

Yang tried to understand why Jaune had showed her that video as she mulled over what she had seen. Seeing the red headed girl had been both wonderful and terrible. Wonderful because it reminded her of the good days at Beacon, when the worst they had to worry about was getting in trouble with Miss Goodwitch or doing their homework. Terrible because of the sense of guilt that was now growing within her. If Pyrrah was here then she and Jaune would be together instead of them, and she felt that being with him was a betrayal.

Was it wrong for her and Jaune to be together? When it felt so right, made the two of them happy?

She wasn't sure.

"There is a reason I showed you that video. I want you to know that… I probably loved Pyrrah, even if I didn't realize it at the time." Yang felt her blood run cold as he uttered the words. "In fact, I probably still love her even now. It's likely I will never stop loving her, a small part of me will always want to hold onto her, to those days we spent together."

Yang felt as her heart seemed to burn and tears once more built behind her eyes. This was it, wasn't it? He would tell her that they couldn't be together, that it was over between them. He would join the list of people who left her.

Jaune gripped Yang by the shoulders, turning her in his lap and she didn't fight it. She just stared at his chest, afraid to look above, to see his expression and the unspoken apology that would be in his eyes. It would be too much for her now, too much pain to bear. She felt as his hand came below her chin and once again she let him gently lift her face. There was no point drawing out the pain.

As their gazes met what she saw wasn't an expression of sorrow, of pain or of apology. Instead it was the bright smile that he gave only to her, his eyes alight with passion. A small chuckle fell from his lips as he saw her expression and he lightly shook his head.

"I tell you this, so you can know, even with all of that happening, with all those thoughts, what I say now is true."

The blonde knight drew in a large breath, as if to steady himself.

"Yang Xiao-Long, I love you."

Yang felt her heart stop at that moment. Her entire being froze as he said those words to her. Was this really happening?

"Yang, I love you. For as long as you want me, I'll be here by your side. I want to love you, be with you, to see you smile, see you laugh. I want to spend the rest of my time here with you. I've lived too long being meek, not reaching out and taking the things I want. The things I _need_. So, I won't make those same mistakes, hold those same regrets about this."

Jaune looked her directly in the eye as he spoke, determined to convey the depth of his words, the truth that he spoke.

"I love you."

The blood in her body ignited as her heart restarted, now beating a blazing inferno in her chest. Yang felt as the tears that had built were now spilling from her, but the reason all too different than before. The blonde swelled with happiness, so much so that it was like she would burst. She felt as Jaune's fingers came up to brush the tears from her cheeks, still waiting for her reply.

"I love you too."

Four simple words were all it took. The smile that filled both of their faces was worth all the pain that came before this. With a hungry passion the two kissed, pushing against each other roughly, fiercely. There were no longer two people, only one, connected in heart, body and soul.

It didn't matter anymore what had happened before, or even what may come ahead. They both knew that if they were together there would be no problems. Nothing too much for them to handle. For now though, nothing else mattered but each other.

The happiness they felt.

The warmth they shared.

* * *

 **Hello again, and thank you for reading once more.**

 **Amazingly I was able to pull something together for a second chapter for this, though I will say it will be the last for this story.**

 **Overall this chapter ended up a lot lighter than the first, which is probably for the best. Nobody needs that much angst in their life.**

 **Once again please let me know what you thought in a review. Good? Bad? Better than the first chapter? Worse? Feel free to rip me a new one of you feel it necessary.**

 **I will be trying to pull together another story, one with an even crackier ship, but I'll leave that as a surprise for now. I'm looking to put it up sometime next weekend (Feb 10th), as I need to do some more planning on it. I hope to update that next one weekly, and it will for sure go for more than two chapters, so please stick around for some more writing if you enjoy mine.**

 **Until next time!**


End file.
